This applications relates to the art of vacuum cleaners and, more particularly, to vacuum cleaners that are capable of picking up liquid and separating same from an air stream that carries the liquid. The invention is particularly applicable to a wet pickup attachment for vacuum cleaners and will be described with specific reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader aspects and that features of the invention may be used in other wet pickup devices as well as in air/liquid separators that are used for other purposes.
Wet pickup attachments for vacuum cleaners usually have a float operated valve that closes in response to a predetermined liquid level in a collection tank for preventing aspiration of liquid into the vacuum cleaner. Any malfunction of the float operated valve may cause liquid to be aspirated into the vacuum cleaner and cause damage. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a backup arrangement for blocking the flow of moisture laden air into the vacuum cleaner in the event of a malfunction in the float operated valve.